To all my cabbie friends,
To al those who have shown me love and friendship,
May you have a wonderful, lovely, positive day!
Happy Valentine’s Day 2021
Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!
Author: brekkebenden
Shoes: Mary Janes
Mary Jane shoes came with some of the most beautiful dresses. Which did they come with and what shoes go with what?
Shoes: An overview and reference links
Mary Jane shoes were manufactured by Coleco throughout the entirety of their production. However, the characteristics of the shoes varied by factory and over time.
Hong Kong Shoes
Click for a definition of Hong Kong Kids.
In the beginning, when production took place in Hong Kong [HK], the shoes had a very distinctive look. In general, they have a number of these features but do not need to have them all.
- They have a thicker feel to the vinyl. In some cases, the vinyl did not mould well and may have a runny look on the inside.
- Not all have HK shoes have black text in the heel, but if it is black, it’s likely an HK shoe.
- They tend to look less ‘finished’ than other shoes. The edges look more like they’ve been cut out, or the vinyl around the edges has been trimmed.
- HK shoes are more likely to get pox than later shoes.
| OK | Some have black text. I have found some made with a very hard, almost grey vinyl. Some are very narrow and long. |  |  |
| P | The text runs vertically, not horizontally, in the heel. I have not found any P with black text. The vinyl is very malleable. |  |  |
| KT | Unable to comment. I don’t have any in my collection. |
Post HK Shoes – 1986ish shoes
After the ‘experimental’ Hong Kong period, the shoes became more uniform but still had many characteristics that varied by factory. It can be very difficult to ‘match’ shoes. You THINK they look like they should match, but when you put them side by side, they are nothing alike! They aren’t the same shape, colour, texture, etc.
Most of the shoes have the factory indicator and the words HONG KONG stamped on the inside by the heel, on the bottom. The factory indicator can be inside a circle or not.
After production moved to China, the shoes became more uniform in appearance but continued to vary by factory. Indeed, as more factories began production, the amount of variation increased.
Disclaimer: The following observations have been made based on my collection. I welcome any information and will not hesitate to make revisions as needed.
OK Factory
There are two different sizes of text font.
They generally feel thin & malleable.
P Factory
The vinyl feels like OK shoes but is whiter in colour.
The text is very clear and easy to read, and larger than that in the OK shoes.
The text can include numbers. I have recorded the following: 1,2
KT Factory
The inside tends to be very smooth and clean.
The text is raised and easy to read.
Some have slightly thicker vinyl and feel less malleable.
PMI Factory
They feel like the thicker KT shoes.
The text is raised, easy to read, and quite large.
This shape is inside:
UT Factory
They are slightly bigger than the other shoes.
They are very white, with almost a bluish tinge.
The text is raised, larger, and very clear.
There is a line across the inside bottom.
The text says, Made in Taiwan and has a raised relief, embossed along with a circle with UT inside it.
The IC, SS, FD, and CY factories do not appear to have produced Mary Jane shoes.
Mary Jane’s come in two distinct sizes, one more oval than the other. Within those sizes, there are also differences in length and width depending on age and factory.
All the coloured shoes are of the smaller, rounder type, like the KT shoes.
1986ish – 1989
CHINA Shoes (1987-1988ish)
Eventually, they changed or made new shoe moulds. They now said CHINA instead of HONG KONG (only a few years late), but they no longer used factory indicators. I believe these shoes came next because I have coloured shoes which straddle this situation, some with factory indicators, some with CHINA.
No Text Shoes (1988ish – 1999)
I believe the last shoes produced had nothing in the heel except possibly a mould number. They are essentially blank. Either this was the final change before Hasbro took over, or these shoes may have all been produced by Hasbro during the transitional period; it is hard to know.
Coloured Shoes
Black and brown Mary Janes appeared in 1985 on Spanish Girl and Scottish World Travelers.
In 1986 the black Mary Janes started appearing on Cornsilk Kids. It wasn’t until 1988 that other colours came out on Growing Hair kids and were sold separately. In addition, occasionally, they can be found on regular transitional kids, probably done as they were getting rid of stock.
I have recorded shoes in the following colours:
- Black
- Brown
- Pink
- Purple
- Light purple
- Yellow
- Light blue
- Teal/ Mint green
- Bright red (not confirmed real)
- Red (rather bright)
25th Anniversary Mary Janes (separate post)
Foreign Shoes
All the foreign factories produced Mary Jane shoes.
Tsukuda produced a lot of Mary Jane’s shoes, many in colour. It’s not unusual to find a Tsukuda boy wearing Mary Janes. The only Tsukuda Mary Janes I have seen had no markings inside.
For information on Jesmar Mary Janes jump to Shoes: Jesmar Shoes
What outfits did they come with?
- Only three of the 1983 regular series outfits used Mary Janes, #1 Swing Dress, #4 Frilly A-Line Dress, #11 Knit Ducky Dress
- The Spanish Girl and Scottish World Traveler outfits
- They may have come with some of the 650s Regular Mimic Dresses
- They may have come with some of the 700s Dresses
- Cornsilk Series 1 and Series 3 came with either black or white
- Some outfits in Cornsilk Series 4 may have come with them
- Growing Hair Kids came with coloured Mary Janes to match their dresses.
- Separately packaged
Shoes: Regular ‘lace ups’ Pt 2
Which outfits came with regular ‘high top’ shoes, shoes without factories, and more. Part 2
Other relevant posts: Regular Lace-Up Shoes Pt 1, CPK Shoes: An Overview and Links, Lacing CPK Shoes
Regular ‘lace-up’ shoes appear to come in a variety of sizes as well. Some are longer and narrower, while others are shorter and wider. Some are just smaller, period.
1986ish – 1989
CHINA Text Shoes (1987-1988ish)
Eventually, they changed or made new shoe moulds. They now said CHINA instead of HONG KONG (only a few years late), but they no longer used factory indicators. I believe these shoes came next because I have coloured shoes which straddle this situation, some with factory indicators, some with CHINA.
No Text Shoes (1985ish – 1999) (Dates unsure)
I believe the last shoes produced had nothing in the heel except possibly a mould number. They are essentially blank. Either this was the final change before Hasbro took over, or these shoes may have all been produced by Hasbro during the transitional period; it is hard to know.
UPDATE
I’ve been provided evidence of these ‘number only shoes’ on a 1985 MIB SS preemie. This would seem to indicate that at least this factory started using them earlier than I thought. (Messanger, Jana Smith, May 2022) If you have more evidence, I would like to see it.
Coloured Shoes
Coloured versions of lace-ups started appearing in 1988 on Toddlers and Transitional kids. It could be that they were all produced by Hasbro, not Coleco, as they continued to be sold on Hasbro Preschoolers after 1989. For foreign Tsukuda factory also produced coloured lace-ups
I have recorded Coleco-coloured lace-up shoes in the following colours:
- Pink
- Vibrant Pink
- Red
- Purple
- Blue
25th Anniversary Lace-ups (separate post)
Jesmar Shoes
What outfits did they come with?
- some 1983 regular series outfits; footwear is noted in each outfit post
- some 1984 and B Series Preemie outfits; footwear is noted in each outfit post
- some 500s series outfits
- some 600s dresses
- some Cornsilk Series 4 outfits
- Toddlers and Preschoolers – Most Coleco Toddlers wore white, and Preschoolers wore coloured.
- some Transitional period kids including Poseable Kids
Shoes: Regular ‘lace up’ Pt. 1
What to know about regular ‘high top’ cabbage patch shoes, part 1.
Other Relevant Posts: CPK Shoe Summary, Lacing CPK Shoes
Regular lace-up shoes were manufactured by Coleco throughout the entirety of their production. However, the characteristics of the shoes varied by factory and over time.
The information in this post is chronological. If you don’t ‘recognize’ your shoes, keep going.
Hong Kong Shoes
For a definition of ‘Hong Kong Kids’, jump to the Glossary.
In the beginning, when production took place in Hong Kong [HK], the shoes had a very distinctive look.
In general, they have a number of these features but do not need to have them all.
- They have a thicker feel to the vinyl. In some cases, the vinyl did not mould well, and they have a runny look to the inside.
- They have textured bottoms.
- Not all have HK shoes have black text in the heel, but if it is black, it’s a HK shoe.
- They tend to look less ‘finished’ than other shoes. The edges look more like they’ve been cut out, or the vinyl around the edges has been trimmed.
- In some cases, the tongue has not been cut out and is still attached.
| OK | Some have black text. I have found some made with a very hard, almost grey vinyl. The bottom edge can be more rounded than in other factories. |  |  |
| P | The text runs vertical, not horizontal, in the heel. I have not found any P with black text. |  |  |
| KT | In general, KT shoes have more have black text. There are two versions, one with a font smaller than the other. |   |   |
For more information on Jesmar Hong Kong shoes visit HERE
Post HK Shoes – 1986ish shoes
After the ‘experimental’ Hong Kong period, the shoes became more uniform but still had many characteristics that varied by factory. It can be very difficult to ‘match’ shoes. You THINK they look like they should match, but when you put them side by side, they are nothing alike! They aren’t the same shape, colour, texture, etc.
Most of the shoes have the factory indicator and the words HONG KONG stamped on the inside by the heel, on the bottom. The factory indicator can be inside a circle or not.
After production moved to China, the shoes became more uniform in appearance but continued to vary by factory. Indeed, as more factories began production, the amount of variation increased.
Disclaimer: The following observations have been made based on my collection. I welcome any information and will not hesitate to make revisions as needed.
OK Factory
The vinyl feels rather flimsy and thin.
The bottoms are flat.
The text is either raised and clear or very blurry.
The text comes in two sizes, the larger being closer to the heel.
P Factory
The stitching decoration is in higher relief than the OK shoes, standing out prominently.
The text is in relief and very clear to read. The text can include numbers. I have recorded the following: 4, 3, 2, 1, 6, 7 They can develop pox.
KT Factory
They look like a regular white P except: They still have a textured bottom.
The vinyl is slightly thicker and continues to have a slight ‘cut’ or ‘trimmed’ look to it, especially the tongue.
The text is raised and clear.
IC Factory
They have very prominent relief stitching decoration, and the vinyl feels more like Jesmar vinyl. The text is embossed and very clear.
A second type looks like the other but has thicker vinyl, which creates a more structured feel. The laces are a nicer, finer, whiter string.
The text can include numbers. I have recorded the following: 5, 2
PMI Factory
They look and feel like OK shoes.
The text says, HONG KONG PMI, in two lines.
A line (like that below) was created by the mould and is visible in the heel. They can develop pox.
UT Factory
The vinyl is firmer but not rigid, very white, and very smooth (almost glossy).
The stitching decoration is in VERY high relief, and it looks like stitches rather than dots.
There is a line, in a U shape, around the heel section of the shoe, on the back, not the bottom.
It was likely left by the moulding process. There is a pronounced sole ridge.
The text says, Made in Taiwan and has a raised relief, embossed along with a circle with UT inside it.
The text can include numbers. I have recorded the following: 1, 4
SS Factory
There are two styles.
The first feels and looks like an OK shoe but is slightly smaller sometimes. They are softer and more malleable.
The second looks more like a P and has high relief decoration.
There are no words, just the factory identifier, either in a circle or not.
There may be numbers located beside the letters. I have recorded: 1,2
The FD and CY factories do not appear to have produced lace-up shoes.
Continue to Part 2
PTP: Fabric Play Accessories
Did you know that there are different versions of the play accessories that you know and love? I didn’t!
Today I noticed that the fabric CPK accessories are also factory marked, and that there are variations by factory.
There are five accessories that were produced, starting in 1984:
Snuggle- Close Carrier 
Soft Travel Bag (aka Diaper bag) 
Slumber Bag (aka Sleeping Bag) 
Soft Travel Bed (aka Soft Bassinet) 
“Kid†Carrier
Factory Variation
By examining the pieces in my collection, I have determined that these items were made by at least three different factories. The first two, IJ and SS, are well known. The third has no factory indicated on the tag; however, they must have been created for the Canadian market as the tags say Cabbage Patch Kids in French, P’tits Bouts de Choux [PBDC].
I can see visible differences in the colours and quality of the pattern on the fabric used to make 4 of the 5 items. I only have one Kid Carrier so cannot make any comparisons.
| The IJ factory used a darker mint fabric for the edging and straps. The pattern is crisp, dark, and rich. |  |
| The PBDC manufacturer used a lighter mint green fabric for the edging and straps. The pattern is in a lighter colour, more washed out, but still fairly crisp. Â |  |
| The SS factory also used the lighter mint edging, but the pattern is quite rough. The figures are not crisp, and the printing is badly done. |  |
I do not have an example of an SS carrier, but the buckles used on the IJ and PBDC carriers are very different. The IJ buckles are plastic and square. The PBDC are metal and rounded.
IJ Factory Buckle 
PBDC Buckle
More Information Needed
I was unable to look at any of the Soft Travel Beds as I do not have one (or more) in my collection. Here are the items I have been able to examine, based on factory. If you have one that I am missing, I’d love to get pictures and your opinion!
BSeries Preemie Outfit #506 – Kitty PJ’s
Let your preemie curl up like a cat in this cute onesie.
B Series Preemie Outfits Summary
Description
This is a footed velveteen onesie. The yoke is coloured/patterned and quilted, with lace running along the bottom and a cat patch on the left breast. The feet are also coloured and have a pom-pom. There is an arched Cabbage Patch Kids patch on the left leg. It closes down the front with a long strip of Velcro.
Footwear: n/a
This outfit was sold only on dolls manufactured in 1985 and later.
Version Information
My goal is to find every version of every outfit that was produced. Below is a record of each version of this outfit that I have, up to the date indicated. To understand clothing codes, factories and variations, please refer to the suggested readings below.
Suggested readings: 1st Blog – Why do this project?, what are Clothing Tag Codes
If you have an outfit that is not recorded here or does not match my information, (e.g. you have a B505D SS that is purple, not pink) I would appreciate hearing from you. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details on the pictures required, jump to Taking Clothing Tag Pics.
Variations
> Mimic Preemie Outfit Series: #716 – Terry Cloth Preemie PJ’s. These are structurally the same as the Kitty PJ’s but have no cat patch, are not coloured at the feet, do not have pom poms, and, of course, are made of terry cloth.
> Outfit #136 – This outfit is structurally the same, except that the yoke has two bows, there is only a small square CPK patch on the left side, and it is made of cotton.
> BBB Outfits – There are several terry-cloth BBB outfits that look very similar to this outfit.
CPK Shoes: An Overview and Links
Are these shoes CPK? What kids did they come on? Which shoes go with which outfit? Some answers to your CPK shoe questions . . . with more to come!
To find out more about a specific kind of footwear, click on the links included throughout.
Table of Contents
Factory labels on shoes
Shoe Type by Outfit (Summary List Here)
Exceptions
Cleaning Shoes
25th Anniversary Shoes (Play Along)
Aftermarket and Fakes
Jesmar Shoes
Edit: Lacing CPK Shoes
Factory labels on shoes
Almost all Coleco shoes produced between 1983 and 1986ish were labeled with the factory of manufacture inside by the heel. These shoes also said, Hong Kong, even after they were no longer manufactured there. It’s thought that they chose not to remake the molds. Specialty outfit shoes like clown shoes and cowboy boots are also factory marked.
Later, sometime around 1986 or 1987, they stopped putting the factory and HONG KONG inside the shoes. Instead, some say CHINA, some have just a number, and some are entirely blank. I believe that they showed up in that order but have no proof of it, except that the coloured toddler shoes have CHINA in them and the only coloured Mary Janes I’ve seen have nothing in them.
The numbers that can be found in the shoes are a mystery. I believe they are a mould number but again, I have no proof. A ‘pair’ of shoes do not need to have the same number.
.Shoe Type by Outfit
Cabbage patch kids came with various types and colours of footwear. The type of shoes that an outfit came with changed as time passed.
In 1983 and 1984 there were only four options. They were worn by regular kids and preemies. For more details on each type of shoe click on the links below.
- Regular ‘lace up’ shoes Part 1 & Part 2
- Mary Jane Shoes
- Sneakers
- knit booties
Information on which shoes went with which outfits in the 1983 Regular kids outfits, or the 1984 Preemie outfits are available on their individual posts.
Special Note: During the first few months of production, the kids manufactured in Hong Kong came out with shoes like those described above, but which had slightly different characteristics (at least long-time collectors think so). For details on how to identify Hong Kong Kid shoes go to each of the shoe types using the links near the top of this post. . Click here for a definition of Triple and Double Hong Kong Kids.
Starting in 1985, other footwear options became available, and three of the original four options began showing up in a rainbow of colours. The new options included:
| Type of Shoe | Outfits they belong with | |
| Ballet Flats | Some Cornsilk Series 2: Wacky and Layered Some 500s series outfit Some 800-815 series Regular kid outfits |  |
| Boots | Some Cornsilk Series 2: Wacky and Layered Some poseable kid outfits (transitional) |  |
| Chunky Sneakers | Designer Line Kids |  |
| Chunky Toddler Sneakers | Some toddlers; transitional and later Hasbro toddlers |  |
| Saddle Shoes | Some regular kid transitional outfits (800s) May have come on some later Designer Line Kids. Transitional Poseable Kids (specifically the Cheerleader outfit) |  |
| Weeboks | Blue Saddle Shoe Version – Coleco Generally came hanging on the arm of Poseable kids. Some were wearing them. White Toddler Version – Coleco Generally, came as a second pair of shoes hanging off the kid’s arm. Some were wearing them. |   |
| Sandals | Splashin’ Kids |  |
| Slippers (matching) | BBB Outfits, toddler outfits, Splashin’ Kid outfits, 25th Anniversary Preemies (only came in white) |  |
Most series did not come with only one type of footwear.
For example, the second series of Cornsilk outfits (Jump to Cornsilk Series 2: Wacky and Layered Pt. 1) came with the following:
- #321 – Boots
- #322 – Boots, almost all white
- #323 – Boots
- #324 – Boots
- #325 – Ballet Flats
- #326 – Boots
#327 – Ballet Flats
#328 – Boots
#329 – Ballet Flats
#330 – Ballet Flats
#331 – outfit unidentified
#332 – White Boots
#333 – Boots
Some outfits came with shoes that were unique to that outfit.
- Talker Outfits
- World Travelers (China, Holland, Russia, Spanish Boy)
- Western Wear – brown boots
- Astronauts – a sort of bootie
- Circus Kids – clown shoes
- Ringmaster – black boots
- 600s PJ Series (slippers and booties)
Most of the early packaged outfits came with shoes, as did many of the packaged outfits that came with unique shoes (e.g., Western Wear). However, many packaged outfits, especially those sold after 1985, did not come with shoes included. Starting in 1985, shoes become available separately packaged with socks and other accessories. This continued until 1989.
.Exceptions (this is Coleco after all)
Like with other outfits, during transitional periods or when they were trying to get rid of excess product, occasionally you can find a MIB doll with the ‘wrong’ footwear. As long as the footwear was in production before the doll was issued, it could be a possible combination.
I have even recorded one example of a transitional regular kid wearing Hasbro Kissin’ Kid shoes!
Cleaning shoes
I clean shoes with a toothbrush and a bar of Sunlight Soap. Sticky shoes are cleaned with Magic Eraser or Bar Keeper’s Friend.
Marks made from markers, pens, and other such things that do not come out with regular cleaning can be treated with zit cream, just like a doll’s head.
Early shoes were made of the same type of vinyl as the doll heads. As such, they can get pox. They can be treated the same way as doll heads. (Videos about pox and treating pox are available here.)
Shoes that are yellowed or discoloured can sometimes be treated by soaking in Polident (water-soluble, not toothpaste). I’ve found it often takes multiple soakings and doesn’t always work perfectly.
25th Anniversary Shoes
The 25th Anniversary kids came with regular shoes, Mary Jane’s, and sneakers. They are easy to distinguish as they have the Cabbage Patch logo and 1893-2008 on the bottom. The preemies came with these shoes or white slippers/booties with a white bow.
.Aftermarket and Fake Shoes
There are MANY types of aftermarket CPK shoes. To learn more, jump here: Aftermarket Shoes.
Jesmar Shoes
All of the foreign factories produced CPK shoes. I do not have enough information to discuss most of them. For information on Jesmar shoes, visit Shoes: Jesmar Shoes
BSeries Preemie Outfit #505 – Teddy PJ’s
All ready for bed! What a cute set of Pajamas for a special overnight.
B Series Preemie Outfits Summary
Description
Cotton two pieces PJ’s – The top closes up the front and has a bow in the middle and one at the neck. The front closure, neck, and sleeve hems are all white. Coloured rick rack runs up either side of the front opening, and the left side has a teddy patch and an arched Cabbage Patch kids patch. The bottoms have footies and rick rack around them. The entire thing is the same colour.
Footwear: n/a
This outfit was sold only on dolls manufactured in 1985 and later.
Version Information
My goal is to find every version of every outfit that was produced. Below is a record of each version of this outfit that I have, up to the date indicated. To understand clothing codes, factories and variations, please refer to the suggested readings below.
Suggested readings: 1st Blog – Why do this project?, What are Clothing Tag Codes
If you have an outfit that is not recorded here or does not match my information, (e.g. you have a B505D OK that is purple, not pink) I would appreciate hearing from you. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details on the pictures required, jump to Taking Clothing Tag Pics.
Variations
> Mimic Preemie Outfits: #715 – Plain cotton preemie PJ’s. The most obvious differences are the lack of a teddy patch and rick rack. In addition, there is only one bow at the neck.
PTP: An abundance of patterns – PMI swing dresses
There are more than two PMI swing dresses, like there should be. Just how many are there??
In general, there is one fabric pattern/colour per letter in an outfit code.
Occasionally, a factory used a second fabric of a different colour/pattern for a letter, presumably because the original fabric was no longer available. Typically, one of the colours/patterns is harder to find than the other, as it was used for a shorter amount of time.
For example, Twin outfits T3C – There is a burnt orange version and a burgundy version. It is believed that the burgundy version is the rarer version.
However, the PMI factory swing dresses take this to an extreme! I have identified both an S and a T version of the PMI swing dress, along with THREE other patterns. That means, at the very least, one letter used three different patterns!
I wonder how many other patterns they may have used? How many other outfits did this happen with? I’m constantly being surprised by exceptions like this one.
Head Mold Reference Page
Using my own collection, I have created a pictorial reference to the Coleco and Play Along head molds I have access to. It covers:
- Regular Coleco Kids
- Growing Hair Kids
- Talking Kids
- 25th Anniversary Play Along Kids
- Regular Play Along Kids
- Play Along Newborns
Please feel free to reference it as you need. It can always be found in the PAGES list, on the right side of the website, under “Other Information Pages”.
Just a sample of the pictures.
